Nairobi property owners have been granted a brief reprieve after the county government extended the land rates waiver period to January 9, 2026, giving thousands more time to clear their arrears without penalties.
The waiver, which was initially set to expire on December 31, 2025, was extended following an overwhelming rush by landowners to City Hall and sub-county customer service centres in the final days of the year.
Announcing the extension on Tuesday, January 6, Nairobi County Receiver of Revenue Tiras Njoroge said the move was meant to accommodate residents who turned up in good faith but could not be served before the deadline.
“We extended the waiver to January 9 purely to attend to the overwhelming queues we witnessed as the December 31 deadline approached,” Njoroge said. “This is to ensure those who showed up in good faith are served.”
He warned, however, that the extension would not go beyond January 9. Once the window closes, the county will fully enforce the National Rating Act against defaulters.
“This is the last soft landing. After January 9, the waiver will end and the law will be applied in full to all defaulters,” he said.
Under the waiver, landowners who clear their outstanding rates within the period will have 100 per cent of accumulated penalties and interest written off. Those who fail to take advantage of the offer risk being classified as defaulters, with enforcement measures expected to follow.
Njoroge noted that poor compliance in land rates payment continues to strain the county’s ability to deliver basic services.
“It is not sustainable that only about 20 per cent of landowners are paying rates,” he said. “Roads, waste management, health services and public lighting all depend on this revenue. Everyone must contribute fairly.”
Last year, Governor Johnson Sakaja revealed that although Nairobi has about 250,000 registered land parcels, only a quarter of them regularly pay land rates.
The waiver extension comes against the backdrop of another recent concession by the county. In December, the government announced a six-month amnesty for housing developers and property owners to regularise unauthorised developments without incurring penalties.
Under that amnesty, developers were encouraged to submit whatever documentation they have even if incomplete to kickstart the regularisation process. Submissions can be made through the Nairobi Planning and Development Management System (NPDMS), at sub-county offices or at City Hall.
With the January 9 deadline fast approaching, county officials are urging landowners to take advantage of the waiver before enforcement measures resume.